27pilots

What 27pilots does

27pilots is a Munich-based B2B firm that enables large corporations to build, improve, and operate internal Venture Client Units — structured programs for sourcing and adopting startup innovations without taking equity stakes. Founded in 2018 by Gregor Gimmy, the inventor of the Venture Client Model at BMW (2014), the company delivers its offering through three integrated lines: Venture Client Services (consulting and advisory), Venture Client Technology (a native cloud-based, white-label Venture Client Management System covering end-to-end project management, startup assessment, portfolio management, and community collaboration), and Venture Client Data Solutions (Corporate Problems Data and Startup Evaluations & Ratings derived from real-world deployments). Revenue is generated through professional services engagements, software licensing, and recurring data subscriptions, all sold through quote-based enterprise contracts.

The firm's customer base includes BMW, Bosch, Holcim, and Siemens Energy, alongside over 10 Fortune 2000 corporations and multiple family-owned enterprises across 10+ countries and 10 industries. Go-to-market is global enterprise field sales, increasingly delivered through Deloitte's network following the January 2023 acquisition that converted 27pilots into 27pilots Deloitte GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Deloitte Germany operating under its original brand. Country operations span Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Japan, and France, each led by dedicated country leads.

Beyond commercial offerings, 27pilots has invested in category ownership through the "Buy, Don't Invest" book, the State of Venture Client Report, the Venture Client Glossary, regular webinars, and the Venture Client Awards co-branded with Deloitte's Technology Fast 50. Academic partnerships with INSEAD, ETH Zurich, European Business School, and University of Passau reinforce thought leadership. The company has 25+ specialists on staff, with headcount reported in the 11-50 range, and has not publicly disclosed revenue.

Name

27pilots

Legal name

27pilots Deloitte GmbH

Website

https://27pilots.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

27pilots is a Munich-based B2B firm that helps large corporations build and operate Venture Client Units through consulting services, proprietary cloud software, and data solutions. Founded by the inventor of the Venture Client Model, it serves Fortune 2000 enterprises globally as a subsidiary of Deloitte Germany.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Corporate Innovation Consulting

NAICS

Other Management Consulting Services (541618), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Venture Studios / Company Builders (FSANAAAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Corporate Venture Studios & Incubators (Build/launch ventures) (FSANAHAC)

Keywords

• Venture client solutions
• Corporate venturing
• Startup engagement
• Innovation consulting
• Venture client software

Headquarters

HQ city

Munich

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Venture Client Services: Professional consulting services for building and operating Venture Client Units, including Strategy & Structure, Startup Culture, and Technology & Data service solutions.
2. Venture Client Technology: Licensing and customization of the proprietary Venture Client Management System (Venture Client OS) to corporate Venture Client Units.
3. Venture Client Data Solutions: Corporate Problems Data and Startup Evaluations & Ratings data solutions providing insights into corporate challenges and startup technology assessments through real-world application lens.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

27pilots provides a comprehensive suite of Venture Client Solutions that helps corporations build, improve, and operate in-house Venture Client Units to strategically source and adopt startup innovations without taking equity stakes. The offering combines professional consulting services, a proprietary cloud-based white-label Venture Client Management System software, and data solutions covering corporate problems and startup evaluations. The company was founded by the creator of the Venture Client Model, which originated at BMW in 2014, and serves enterprise clients globally.

Product overview

27pilots offers a comprehensive suite of Venture Client Solutions organized into three core offerings: Venture Client Services (consulting to build and operate in-house Venture Client Units), Venture Client Technology (native software platform for managing venture client operations), and Venture Client Data Solutions (data on corporate problems and startup evaluations). The flagship software is the Venture Client Management System, which includes modules for end-to-end project management, startup assessment, portfolio management, and community collaboration. Additional products include research publications (State of Venture Client Report), educational resources (Venture Clienting Book, Glossary), and recognition programs (Venture Client Awards). The offering is provided as a unified platform-plus-services approach rather than individual standalone products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Venture Client Services Professional consulting and advisory services to build, improve, and operate in-house Venture Client Units. Includes strategy and structure design, startup culture development, and technology and data enablement for enterprise clients.
• Venture Client Technology Proprietary native cloud-based white-label software platform (Venture Client Management System) designed for corporate Venture Client Units to manage, monitor, and measure strategic impact of startups. Provides end-to-end project management, startup assessment, portfolio management, and community collaboration capabilities.
• Venture Client Data Solutions Subscription data products providing corporate problems data and startup evaluations and ratings derived from real-world application of startup technologies by corporate users. Includes Corporate Problems Data and Startup Evaluations & Ratings datasets with industry and functional categorization.

Quantifiable outcome

• Proficient Venture Client companies can achieve an Adoption Quota of over 60% per year of startup pilot projects
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• DeloittecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023On January 1, 2023, Deloitte acquired 27pilots to expand its offering of innovative venture client solutions. 27pilots operates under its original brand as part of Deloitte Germany. This acquisition strengthens Deloitte's corporate venture offering and increases their share in the innovation and venture market. The partnership enables 27pilots to scale internationally and leverage Deloitte's global brand and resources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Techstars: Techstars is a global accelerator that partners with large corporations to run startup engagement programs. Comparable to 27pilots in serving enterprise clients seeking startup-driven innovation, although Techstars is primarily an accelerator operator rather than a venture client consulting/technology provider.
• Startupbootcamp: Global accelerator network that partners with large corporates to run innovation programs. Comparable to 27pilots in bridging startups with enterprises, but currently lacks the dedicated venture client methodology (problem-first sourcing vs. deal-first accelerator) that 27pilots commercializes.
• Plug and Play Tech Center: Plug and Play runs corporate innovation and accelerator programs, connecting large enterprises with startups across multiple verticals. It is comparable to 27pilots as both monetize corporate-startup engagement platforms, though Plug and Play's model leans more on equity/mentorship and 27pilots on structured venture client operating models.

Broad incumbents

• BCG (BrightHouse / Innovation practice): BCG's BrightHouse was a dedicated corporate venture/innovation consultancy serving global enterprises. Comparable to 27pilots in advising large corporations on innovation operating models, though BCG operates at significantly larger scale and does not offer a venture client-specific proprietary software platform.
• McKinsey & Company (Corporate Venturing / Open Innovation practices): McKinsey advises Fortune 500 corporations on corporate venturing, open innovation, and startup strategy. Comparable to 27pilots as a high-end advisory serving enterprise clients on startup engagement, but McKinsey is a broad management consultancy without a proprietary venture client operating system.

Emerging players

• Notch Partners: Niche advisory firm helping multinationals build and manage corporate venture capital and startup engagement programs. Comparable to 27pilots as a specialist consultancy in corporate-startup models, though Notch focuses more on CVC and venture building advisory rather than dedicated venture client operating systems.
• Mass Challenge: Global zero-equity startup accelerator that partners with large corporations on innovation programs. Comparable to 27pilots in the non-equity startup engagement ethos and global enterprise client base, though scope and methodology differ.
• UnternehmerTUM: Munich-based, UnternehmerTUM supports founders and runs corporate innovation programs for major German enterprises. Directly comparable to 27pilots for its DACH footprint and corporate-startup engagement focus, though it operates as a non-profit/ecosystem builder rather than a commercial venture client software/services firm.

Regional players

• High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF): Germany's leading seed-stage venture capital fund, deeply embedded in the German corporate-startup ecosystem. Regional peer to 27pilots in the DACH market, oriented toward equity investment while 27pilots focuses on venture client engagement.
• Startup Autobahn (now ARENA2036): Stuttgart-based corporate-startup engagement platform co-founded with Daimler, Porsche, and others. Comparable to 27pilots as a DACH-rooted corporate innovation platform, but operates as a research consortium rather than a commercial venture client software/services firm.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/27pilots_VCL
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@27pilots31/featured
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/27pilots

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 27pilots